72
by takopachi
Summary: Exploring the characters' motivations and private thoughts over 72 hours. edit Because this story was written when GA was in its early stages, a lot of this story now does not make sense since GA has progressed on a totally different track. Therefore, I
1. Chapter 1

Natsume felt the gnawing feeling in his chest come again.

He prayed silently. Not here, please...

He tried to concentrate on the lesson- even though he couldn't stand Narumi- but instead, he felt the pen fall from his trembling fingers.

Natsume struggled to make his voice sound normal as the rabbit bounded down to retrieve it. "Thanks."

Ruka glanced at him in concern. What was wrong with Natsume?

He whispered, "Hey, are you alright? You look-" "I'm okay," Natsume mumbled, avoiding his friend's eyes.

He quickly turned the page and pretended to read, but he could still feel Ruka's gaze on him. He remembered that last time he had cried in front of Ruka- Ruka's tears as he promised Natsume that if he didn't smile...

He forced himself to smile a little, and gave Ruka a mock punch.

"I'm alright, stupid. I'm just feeling a bit tired, that's all."

Natsume was relieved to see Ruka relax a little and smile back. That had been close.

He stared down at his textbook, trying to breathe normally and suppress the pain. He should have been more careful... Where could he have dropped it? Never mind, he would pop into the clinic later on.

He shifted restlessly on his seat. Finally, the wave passed and Natsume felt his racing heart rate return to normal. The miasma now cleared, he looked properly at his book.

And realised that nothing he had written made any sense.

But then again, he thought bitterly, nothing in his life made any sense.

The bell rang.

"Ruka, I'll be going back to my room, I need to get something before lunch." Natsume hurriedly packed and got up.

"I'll come too."

"No."

Natsume stiffened. Had he said that a little too quickly? "It's nothing much. I'll only be ten minutes."

He walked off, both hands stashed deep in his pockets, trying not to let his exterior crumble. He knew that Ruka was staring, surprised and hurt, after him.

He walked the length of the corridor and turned the corner. Behind him, he could hear his classmates streaming out the door noisily.

"I'm hungry!"

"Are we supposed to do page six or seven?"

"I heard that yesterday, Narumi..."

"Nonoko-chan, are you going to your lab first?"

"Ruka-pyon! Are you free later?"

Feeling suddenly weak, he leant against the wall. It was hard... so hard...

Natsume felt his eyes moisten- and furiously wiped them on his sleeves. That hadn't happened in a long time, and shouldn't happen again. He kicked himself and continued on to the hospital.

That Natsume... Ruka looked sadly down at his rabbit.

"Ruka-pyon!"

He jumped.

"I asked you what you were staring at."

"Huh? Um, nothing." He stole a last quick glance down the corridor. Natsume...

"Where's Natsume? Shouldn't he be with you?"

Ruka thought: Should I be with him?

"He... he left to get something."

"Oh, later then. Anyway, we're going to have tea with Kaname-senpai. You'll come too, right?"

"Me...? Why?"

"Kaname-senpai said he'll like to see all of us again since he'll be out of hospital- for almost a whole week! He said he finished making the stuffed toys already, wouldn't you like to see yours?"

Ruka's rabbit clung tightly to him and looked up pleadingly: I don't want you to have a stuffed toy! I'm not going to share you!

"Wouldn't you, Ruka-pyon?" Ruka felt torn. He looked down at his rabbit, then at his expectant classmates.

"Well... okay then."

"That's great!" Mikan's eyes lit up and Ruka felt almost ashamed.

"Kaname-senpai said that he made one for me even though I didn't want any. You'll help me tell Natsume to come too, okay? It'll be a waste of Kaname-senpai's effort if I don't take it, so I want Natsume to have it."

Ruka stared down at the floor. Why did he suddenly feel uncomfortable? A waste of Kaname-senpai's effort... that's right, he has that Alice form...

"Natsume to have it?" Ruka echoed, without really thinking.

"You don't think he'll like it?"

Mikan looked worried.

"Huh? Oh. I don't mean that, I mean... I mean..." Ruka struggled to find the right words.

What did he mean?

Mikan didn't notice.

"I hope he'll like it. I think that Natsume has a really soft heart on the inside- you said that before too, didn't you, Ruka-pyon? In that way, he's just like Hotaru..."

Mikan sighed dreamily and flung her arms around her best friend.

"...a bit cold on the outside sometimes, but inside, she really cares about-"

BAKA! BAKA! BAKA!

Mikan rubbed her head and turned angrily to her friend.

"Hotaruuu! What did you do that for?"

"I don't know about you, but I'm going for lunch. If you like, you may continue but please don't hold me back."

Hotaru waved Mikan away and sailed out the door without a single backward glance.

"HOTARUUU..."

Mikan clenched her fists.

"You...!"

"Mi...Mikan-chan, Hotaru-chan is just feeling a bit hungry, that's all..."

Something that Iinchou said stirred Ruka's memory. Feeling a bit tired, that's all...

Oh, right, he promised Sakura to ask Natsume along, and Natsume should be in the dining hall by now. He quietly left and headed down the corridor, feeling very much alone.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hotaru, why haven't you been answering me?"

Hotaru stopped her fork in mid-air and sighed.

"When I say something you can at least respond!"

Hotaru looked calmly at the furious girl next to her.

"Because-" she slowly poked a pea, "-it's rude to talk with your mouth full."

"Huh?"

Mikan reddened as she looked down the long table and realised that almost everyone was looking at her open mouth in disgust. She fell silent and hurriedly wiped her mouth.

As usual, Hotaru hid her own amusement. Really, she thought, Mikan could be so stupidly adorable.

Hotaru bit into her watermelon slice and silently observed the next table.

There he was.

The other person who probably thought that Mikan, too, was adorable.

Hotaru wickedly patted her trusty camera, but she didn't think that Ruka would be looking in Mikan's direction today. He was staring off into blank space.

Hotaru guessed that the empty seat next to him must be the reason for his anxiety.

She took another bite.

Natsume had always moved in a totally different social circle from her, and because of all the bad rumours about him, she had been perfectly fine with that. But ever since Mikan came, it was as if Natsume and Ruka had been forced into her world.

Like the Predisposition Type musical.

Natsume had met her eyes and in that moment, both knew what the other was going to do. And, of course- Hotaru smiled a secret smile- she had started her ever-growing archive of Ruka photographs for handy blackmail material.

She neatly balanced her watermelon rind on the edge of the plate.

Oh well, future interaction with the two boys would probably be inevitable from now on. But there was something Mikan had said that made her wonder.

'In that way, he's just like Hotaru...'

What did Mikan mean?

The two girls had never had the time to relate to each other what had happened after Reo had taken Natsume away and Mikan had also never described her one week as Natsume's slave. And although virtually everyone except Mikan herself knew that Ruka liked her, Hotaru remembered that Mikan hadn't blushed while dancing with Ruka, yet her cheeks had been red when she came back from the washroom. (Had she gone to apply rouge? Hotaru quickly but reluctantly discounted that intriguing idea.)

Strange.

She must remember to do a bit of snooping and find out what happened.

"Imai-san, Misaki-sensei would like to see you in the drawing room now. Oh, or are you still eating?"

"No. I'm done."

Hotaru stood up and glanced at the clock- lunch hour would be ending in twenty minutes. And still no sign of Natsume.

"Hotaru-chan, we'll see you later at tea then."

She nodded and left the table.

Hotaru, you're too cold...

Mikan sniffled. And stabbed at a baby carrot.

Heartless girl!

She stabbed at a pea. And missed.

The fork clattered and Iinchou looked at her in concern.

"Mikan-chan, didn't you say you were going with Andou-senpai to pick Sonoo-senpai up from the hospital?"

"Oh!"

How could she have forgotten?

Mikan pushed away her plate and jumped out of her seat, nearly knocking Iinchou over.

"Mi...Mikan..."

"That's right, I almost forgot! Thanks, Iinchou!"

Mikan tore down the stairs. What would Tsubasa-senpai say? He would have been waiting at the Special Ability Type classroom for nearly twenty minutes now!

She swerved the corner, slipped on something and nearly fell onto someone.

"Hey, watch it!"

"Tsubasa-senpai!" She gasped. "You're here!"

"Well, that's because you weren't there. I thought that I had better check on you."

He smiled down at her.

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't worry about it. We can't go greet Kaname with a face like that, can we?" He patted her head and turned to Misaki. "Well then, let's go!"

Mikan turned to follow them and nearly slipped again.

"Leaving things around like that!"

Mikan stomped her feet in anger and snatched up the plastic packet, ready to fling it into the dustbin. Then she caught sight of the label: 'HYUUGA NATSUME'.

"Um, Mikan, is everything all right?"

Feeling slightly confused, she stared blankly at her seniors.

"Um, yeah."

Mikan dropped the packet into her skirt pocket and ran after them.

Ruka had seen Mikan go and wondered why suddenly, his friends all seemed to be in a hurry to leave. Even that dreaded Hotaru whose camera he had learnt to be wary of had left the lunch table early.

Where was Natsume?

At this rate, he wouldn't have the time to eat anything. Oh well, he would pack something back for Natsume then.

Ruka filled a lunchbox, then reflected that he had probably taken too much since Natsume hardly ate anything.

"Ruka-kun, are you going back?"

"Yeah."

Would Natsume still be in his room?

Ruka left the dining hall and headed for the dormitories. Although he would probably be rebuffed, Ruka didn't want to leave Natsume alone for too long. He had been acting too strangely as of late. Ruka sadly wished that Natsume wouldn't hold things back from him. Natsume had never cried since that night, but he never smiled either. Except when... Ruka turned back towards the junior dining hall.

Natsume would cheer up if Youichi came along.


	3. Chapter 3

"I'll check your medical record. Please wait a while."

The nurse turned to her computer.

Natsume sat down and put his hands into his pockets. He would be more careful now... at least this time, nothing major had happened. Lunch hour would be almost over by the time he got back, though. He fervently hoped Ruka wouldn't go to his room looking for him.

"Hello."

Natsume looked up.

The older blond boy smiled warmly at him and strangely, Natsume felt himself grow less tense.

"You're the one who sometimes occupies room 301, right?"

Natsume searched his memory. He had seen this boy before a few times... oh, in the long-term in-patient hospital ward. And that night, when he had looked out the window and seen him with Ruka, Mikan and a few others.

"I'm Sonoo Kaname."

That's right, he had heard that name before.

"Your name is Natsume, isn't it? I'm glad to see you're better and out of hospital. As for me, I'm discharged for one week starting today," Kaname explained cheerfully, unperturbed by Natsume's silence. "I'm really happy that I'll get to see all my friends again. In fact, I think I'm supposed to have tea with some of your classmates this afternoon. Oh, right! You're Sakura's partner, aren't you? She did say that she was going to bring you along or something... You didn't know?" Kaname smiled. "Oh, I hope that wasn't meant to be a surprise. Though it's more likely she forgot to tell you. Look, the nurse is calling you."

Natsume took his medicine from the nurse, ignoring her admonishment about his carelessness. Honestly, what a bore. He turned to leave.

"See you later, then."

Uncomfortable with Kaname's friendliness, Natsume didn't respond.

"Kaname-senpai!"

Natsume froze.

The voice was unmistakable. She shouldn't see him here... and was Ruka with her? He must hide, quickly.

He hurried round the corner and paused to listen.

"You look much better!"

"Kaname-senpai, look who we brought along!"

"Oh, Bear!"

"He even plucked flowers for you, Kaname!"

That was right... Sonoo Kaname, the student who had made that crazy teddy bear.

So he was the one.

Natsume recalled one of his earlier hospital stays, when one doctor had sighed, saying, "Here's another one with Sonoo's problem." Natsume didn't understand why, but suddenly, the sound of Kaname laughing made him angry.

He wanted to scream.

Shut up, shut up!

Natsume clenched his fists, and felt the familiar pain in his chest return. He had better return to his room and take his medicine before anything happened. Coughing, he ran out.

Mikan loved walking with her seniors. It made her feel grand and important.

"Well, here we are! See you, Mikan."

"And take good care of Kaname!"

Tsubasa and Misaki left in the direction of the middle school branch.

Mikan waved until they were out of sight.

"Kaname-senpai, you promised to have tea with me today."

He smiled down at Mikan, who was skipping along in excitement.

"I haven't forgotten, Sakura. With your classmates, right? Did you remember to ask them along?"

"Of course I did!"

"Are you sure?" He teased her. "Then how come your partner didn't know about it?"

"Natsume? Oh, I told Ruka-pyon to tell him because I couldn't find him. But... but how would you know if Natsume knew or not?"

Mikan was puzzled.

"He left the hospital just before you all came to fetch me."

Her heart skipped a beat. Yes... Someone had mentioned before that Natsume was often admitted to the hospital. But hadn't he been feeling fine since the kidnapping affair?

"Natsume was there?"

"He was just collecting medicine, I think."

"Oh! That's right!"

Mikan showed him the packet of pills she had picked up.

"I found this while on the way here."

Kaname read the label.

"Oh, is that Natsume's? Hmm..."

Mikan couldn't stand the suspense any longer.

"What are they?"

Kaname looked down at the floor for a moment.

"Well, Sakura..."

He reached into his pocket and brought out an identical packet.

"I have one too."

Mikan stared at him in horror.

"So... so Natsume... he..."

Kaname smiled kindly but sadly at her.

"I'm afraid so, Sakura."


	4. Chapter 4

She knocked and entered.

"Misaki-sensei."

"Imai, congratulations again. Your entry came in first for the Junior section. On top of your monetary reward, the principal has decided to give you and one friend an all-expenses paid shopping holiday to Central Town this week. Here you go."

"Thank you."

Hotaru showed no trace of emotion as she took the voucher.

"You and your friend may go the day after tomorrow. See you in class, then."

She liked her ability-type class teacher. Succinct and no-nonsense. Unlike...

"Narumi!"

"Ah, Misaki!"

As Hotaru stepped past Narumi-sensei and out the door, she thought he looked a little sheepish.

"Okay, okay! I admit it! I went into the greenhouse and took-"

"You took WHAT?"

"I needed the-"

"NARUMI... YOU..." Misaki shook his head resignedly. "You know, I didn't even know that, but trust you to come and tell me yourself."

"You didn't?"

Narumi kicked himself. "Geez, shouldn't have said-"

"Yes?"

"No...nothing. Then what did you call me and give me a fright for?"

"Imai Hotaru has permission from the principal to skip one day of school this week. I thought I would let you know. You're her form teacher, aren't you?"

Narumi shifted uncomfortably.

"Hey, just because I'm often absent from class doesn't mean you have to be so sarcastic."

"I wasn't being sarcastic, that was just your guilty conscience. Anyway, Imai gets to bring one friend along. I suppose she'll pick Sakura."

"Hmm... Mikan?"

Misaki looked suspiciously at his ex-classmate.

"What's with that sudden grin?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing."

Narumi clapped his hands in glee and moved towards the door.

"The day after tomorrow, is it? Well then, adieu!"

He gave a cordial wave and swept out of the room.

Misaki gazed after him. What on earth was Narumi up to now? Up to no good, for sure. Misaki decided that he had better keep an eye on him.

Narumi tapped the pencil on his desk and smiled to himself.

"Well, well, Sakura Mikan-chan."

His fantasy was cut short abruptly.

"Well, well, Narumi."

"Oh no, Misaki! When did you..."

Narumi quickly flipped over the sheet of paper he had been writing on, but he was too slow for Misaki's sharp eyes.

Misaki narrowed his eyes.

"A big heart-shape with 'Nogi Ruka' and 'Sakura Mikan' written in it. I don't like what I think you're thinking."

Narumi coughed and protested mildly.

"But don't you think they would look cute together on a wedding cake?"

"For heaven's sake, Narumi, they're only ten!"

"Nonsense. Kids these days are fast, okay. Remember Snow White?"

"If I remember correctly, that had been your crazy idea."

Narumi sighed.

"Too bad it fell through. But it's okay, I have another plan."

Misaki raised his eyebrows. "What?"

"Still in the developmental stage. But I think I'll teach class the day after tomorrow."

"Hmm... For once."

"Ouch."

Narumi rubbed his forehead in mock pain.

"Feeling pretty malicious today, aren't we? However, I think the children will enjoy my enrichment lesson very, very much."

He flashed a grin at a doubtful Misaki.

Blissfully unaware of Narumi's little plans, the various students of Class B were enjoying their free time.

"Ogasawara-san, will you be heading to your lab? Could you help me pass something to my brother if you see him?"

"Oh, Shouda-san! Actually, it's Anna-chan's lab we're going to, but sure."

Nonoko took the note from Sumire.

"Anna-chan, Iinchou, should we be going off now? The fruit tarts will take quite long to make."

Her two classmates nodded in agreement. Then Anna frowned.

"But, I don't know how much to make since we don't know if Natsume-kun is coming or not."

"Ruka-kun said that he would ask Natsume-kun, but I don't think Natsume-kun came to lunch at all..."

"You're right, I don't remember seeing him. Um... Shouda-san, do you know where Natsume-kun or Ruka-kun is?"

Sumire briefly looked up. "N...no. Why should I?"

"But, aren't you the president of the-"

"Yes, yes! But, I don't stalk them around! Anyway, don't disturb me."

Annoyed, Sumire buried herself in her work again. Nonoko thought for a while.

"We can assume he's coming first, Sonoo-senpai can take back any extra. Anna-chan, you brought all the ingredients to your lab already, right? Let's go."


	5. Chapter 5

Pleased with the thought of the voucher tucked safely in her pocket, Hotaru entered the three-star section of the dormitory. She paused outside the door below the sign 'TOBITA YUU' and listened for a while.

Iinchou was probably out, like everyone else. But although there wasn't any noise coming from his room, she could vaguely hear something, no, someone else.

But who was it?

It was such an inhuman noise.

Hotaru decided that fetching her laboratory notes could wait. She crossed the corridor to her own room and unlocked it for a quick peek.

No, the noise was definitely not coming from there.

Being the only girl who lived in that section, all the rooms on the left except hers should be empty. Well then, she would check on the boys' rooms.

She walked quickly to the next door on the right, marked 'NOGI RUKA', and listened.

No, not from here. The sound was coming from further down the corridor. But further down, she realised, would be the end of the three-star section already.

And there was only one person who lived beyond there.

There was no helping it. She walked towards Natsume's room.

Five metres away...

Four metres away...

Three...

Two...

The sound was definitely getting louder and clearer. But here was another sound, that of approaching footsteps.

She turned around.

"Imai?"

Hotaru ignored Ruka's look of surprise.

"Ruka-kun."

Youichi tugged at Hotaru's blouse without letting go of Ruka's hand.

What was Imai doing outside Natsume's room?

Ruka couldn't remember Hotaru ever needing to see Natsume for anything. Suddenly, a bizarre idea entered his head. Could it be that...?

He looked around uneasily for her camera.

Sure, she would have a ready stream of clientele, but Imai didn't seem like the sort to...

"Can you hear something?"

He jumped slightly.

"I... Yeah. So?"

"It sounds like it's coming from Natsume's room."

Oh, so that was it...

Ruka felt quite relieved. But not for long. This sound was an awful, heart-wrenching sound...

He let go of Youichi and pushed past Hotaru.

Natsume lay on the bed, groaning and clutching at his chest. It would soon pass... he just needed to hold on for a little while more till the medicine took effect...

Natsume shivered with cold and pulled the covers around him, but his body still felt like ice. Something warm and salty touched his freezing tongue. He caught his hand up to his mouth.

Where was his handkerchief?

Natsume thought he knew it was on the mirror ledge, but the knife-like pain in his chest when he tried to get up made him resign himself to using his sleeves. His brain was numb with cold, and he could think of nothing but the pain, the pain, the pain...

The door swung open.

"Natsume! Are you okay!"

He jumped and struggled to sit up.

"What's wrong, Natsume, what's wrong!"

Ruka looked horribly frightened.

"R...Ruka, I'm fine..."

Thank goodness the red wouldn't show up against his dark blue uniform.

Natsume moved to the edge of the bed, wondered if he should try standing up again, but thought better.

"I'm fine, I tell you, I'm fine, stupid!"

Raising his voice made him cough again.

A tear rolled down Ruka's cheek.

He crossed the room to Natsume's bed and knelt down on the floor.

"Natsume, I'm not going to let you push me away..."

He took his friend's hand, hesitating for a split second in remembrance of Natsume's reaction to his concern earlier. He choked.

"Your hand... it's so cold..."

Ruka dissolved into sobs.

Sitting on the edge of the bed with Ruka's blond head buried in his lap, Natsume felt that there were things much, much more painful than physical pain.

Hotaru watched in silence from the doorway.

Judging from the packet of pills on the bedside table and Ruka's lack of surprise, this had probably been going on for a long time. She knew that Natsume was often absent from school because of a long-term medical condition, but she didn't know the specifics. Here was another thing she must snoop around and find out more about.

Ruka's body began to shake violently with sobs and Hotaru quickly realised that Youichi might get frightened. She reached out and gripped the little boy's hand tightly.

He turned his small innocent face upwards and searched hers in puzzlement.

"Onii-chan is...?"

Hotaru reassuringly patted his head.

Natsume heard Youichi from inside the room and caught his breath sharply.

How long had he been there? Could he hear Ruka crying? Youichi wouldn't understand, he would be scared and confused...

He looked in panic at the doorway.

Wait, she was here too?

When?

But more importantly, someone needed to take Youichi back, quick.

At that moment, Hotaru gave him a meaningful look. Natsume didn't know why, but he knew what she meant.

'I'm taking him away.'

How had she known?

He blinked, and both Hotaru and Youichi were gone.


	6. Chapter 6

Hotaru headed back to her classroom, remembering the final cuddle Youichi had given her before allowing the dormitory mother to take over.

She had been around his age when her Alice had first revealed itself. Her mother had held her and cried, and then it seemed, life had changed forever. They moved house... again and again, once every few years.

Hotaru had felt displaced.

She had not understood her parents' remorse when they spoke of her brother's fate, had not understood her parents' fear. Then she had come to the Academy and seen it for herself.

A school whose beautiful facade attracted many hopefuls who would never get in, and hid the many wretches who would never escape. To survive, one could only let go of everything.

It had struck her as horribly wrong from the beginning, but being practical she had prepared herself to do the same. That is, until Mikan had protested: 'Hotaru won't be like that!'

She had been glad then, that she had friends like Mikan who would keep her heart from turning cold. Her brother's attitude had chilled her to the bone.

At three years old, Youichi was even younger than her brother had been when he had come to the school.

Would he end up like her brother, too?

Hotaru sincerely wished not.

She stopped in her tracks when she noticed three figures coming in her direction.

"Oh, Hotaru-chan! We were just wondering where you were!"

"Hmm?"

"We're going to make the fruit tarts now, do you want to come along?"

Fruit tarts? Hotaru wouldn't miss that for sure. Good thing she had been in time.

The four friends happily headed for Anna's laboratory.

_There were so many things happening at the same time. People screaming. Adults running around. Flames illuminating the night sky. _

_Ruka was frightened. His family was still in there, somewhere. So was Natsume's. The two boys stood side by side, staring at the confusion before them. _

_"Natsume?" _

_Natsume turned to look at Ruka, his face so pale that Ruka suddenly panicked. _

_"What's wrong, Natsume?" _

_"Ruka, I... I can't stop it." _

_"Stop what?" Ruka's voice became shrill. _

_"You won't understand. I don't... I don't understand it myself, either." _

_"What do you mean, what do you mean!" _

_"This is all my fault..." _

_"What do you mean! Please, Natsume..." _

_Natsume didn't seem to be listening. He took his hand from his pocket and slowly opened his palm. _

_Ruka took one look and screamed. _

_"Your hand's on fire!" _

_"No, it's not..." _

_Natsume's voice sounded unearthly. _

_"My hand started the fire." _

_"Natsume, I don't understand you!" _

_"I don't know how. But... I know that I started the fire. Ruka, I..." _

_Natsume suddenly swung out and pushed him away. "Stay away from me!" _

_"What are you doing? Natsume, you're frightening me!" _

_"This is all my fault! Don't come near me!" _

_"Natsume!" _

_"I killed them, Ruka, I killed them!" _

_"Please, Natsume, stop this!" _

_He reached out for Natsume but Natsume leapt back. "Stay away!"_

_"Natsume, you're dreaming! This isn't your fault..." _

_"It is, it is!" _

_A loud explosion diverted Ruka's attention. _

Ruka shuddered.

Natsume lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Ruka was lying in the opposite direction, an arm's length away. Compared to just fifteen minutes ago, he was awfully quiet now.

Natsume wondered what Ruka was thinking about. It always made him feel bad whenever Ruka cried.

Especially when more often than not, he was the cause.

_Natsume was scared. Scared of himself, scared for others._

_"Don't come near me!" _

_The flames raged on. _

_"I killed them, Ruka, I killed them!" _

_"Natsume, you're dreaming! This isn't your fault..." _

_"It is, it is!" _

_A loud explosion. Ruka screamed again. "Mummy! Daddy!"_

_The house collapsed in on itself._

_Ruka covered his face and burst into tears. Natsume stared helplessly. _

Natsume touched his own forehead and found it wet with sweat.

"...Ruka."

Surprised, Ruka snapped out of his thoughts and sat up. "Huh?"

"If you won't smile..."

Natsume moved his gaze from the ceiling and looked seriously into Ruka's blue eyes. "...I won't smile, either. Got that?"

For a moment, Ruka's eyes filled with tears again.

"Natsume..."

Ruka's tearstained face broke into a smile.

-----------------------

The story ends here. For those who want to know why I couldn't continue (not that I didn't want to!), please refer to my summary. Thanks :)


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